Mark Whicker of the Orange County Register profiles the atypical-yet-admirable Trojan career Jeff Byers, who entered school as the first center ever to be awarded Gatorade National Player of the Year, and is now on the road to his MBA degree (while returning to dominance on the field) as the result of working hard in class during his many bouts with injuries. Byers remarked,

Guys do ask me about academics, and I think that’s one of the things that’s really changed around here. The players are a lot more interested in it, and Coach (Pete) Carroll has gotten really strict about going to class and maintaining your average. The way he puts it, you compete on the field, so you might as well compete in the classroom as well.

Whicker column: USC’s Byers making a difference on the field (Orange County Register)